England's Joe Root and Adil Rashid , right, leave the field. Photo / AP.
The resource allocation of limited overs cricket's Duckworth-Lewis Method came in for scrutiny after New Zealand's victory over England in the second one-day international leveled the five-match series 1-1.
It's a familiar refrain after close matches. No one seems to fully understand the system except Frank D and Tony L,
yet it generally delivers fair results.
Today's introspection came because England, at 345 for seven, had the momentum chasing New Zealand's 399 in front of a packed partisan crowd.
The second highest haul in ODI history loomed with 54 runs required off 37 balls and both batsmen - Liam Plunkett on 38 and Adil Rashid on 30 - set. Then meteorology intervened.
New Zealand were nine runs in front when they left the field; England needed 34 runs from 13 balls when they returned.
They managed 20, losing Plunkett for 44 and Rashid for 34.
The debate began whether the punishment on England was too harsh.
"Considering we got so close it was a little bit disappointing at the end," captain Eoin Morgan said. "It's a huge ask to chase 399, we had set it up so deep and the momentum was with us.
"Do I understand Duckworth-Lewis? No, I don't think anybody does. It's a part of the game you can't change.
"As the game evolves, as it has in 50-over cricket, then [changes to] the Duckworth-Lewis could certainly be looked at."
Ross Taylor top-scored with 119 off 96 balls to win man-of-the-match. He believed New Zealand were ahead when the rain came.
"They'd still have had to bat well, but the rain helped us out. Needing 34 off 2.1 overs was a tough ask but Plunkett and Rashid brought England back into the game. If the rain hadn't come, it could have been a different story."
Taylor believed one pivotal moment came after they returned when Tim Southee alley-ooped a catch to Trent Boult on the long-on boundary to dismiss Rashid.
"If that had gone for six, I'm sure they would have backed themselves to get 18 [off the last over]. Tim had taken couple of similar screamers in India. It was a well-timed jump from Boulty too, but after I dropped a catch off Tim [when Rashid was seven], I said that he had technically dropped a catch as well," Taylor quipped.
